The Supreme Court of the United States has granted a stay of execution for Vernon Madison, with three justices dissenting.

Updated: Thursday, January 25, 2018 6:42 pm EDT

The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a temporary stay of execution for Vernon Madison, pending further order of the court. The stay of execution could be lifted by the Supreme Court before the execution warrant expires, allowing the execution to proceed. The temporary stay allows the Supreme Court time to consider the appeal before them.

Updated: Monday, January 22, 2018 5:21 pm EDT

The Supreme Court of the United States has rejected a request to halt the execution of Vernon Madison. Vernon's attorneys were arguing that Vernon should not be executed because he is mentally incompetent and cannot remember the crime for which he is convicted and sentenced to death. The court did not comment on the reason for their refusal.

Updated: Monday, January 22, 2018 9:47 am EDT

Vernon Madison is scheduled to be executed at 6 pm CDT, on Thursday, January 25, 2018, at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. Sixty-seven-year-old Vernon is convicted of the murder of Officer Julius Schulte on April 18, 1985, in Mobile, Alabama. Vernon has spent the last 32 years on Alabama’s death row.

On April 18, 1985, Officer Julius Schulte was dispatched to the home of Cheryl Green to investigate the disappearance of Cheryl’s 11-year-old daughter. Schulte was not in uniform or in a marked car, however, he was wearing a badge that identified him as a member of the Mobile Police Department. Upon his arrival, Cheryl’s daughter had already returned, however, neighbors has the police officer to stay until Cheryl’s ex-boyfriend, Vernon Madison left, as the two were having a domestic dispute.

Cheryl and Madison had broken up a few days before and he had returned to Cheryl’s home in order to retrieve some of his belongings. Madison was angry, believing that Cheryl had called the police on him. When Officer Schulte arrived, both Cheryl and Madison approached him in his vehicle and spoke with him. Madison left the building a short time later. Madison walked a block away to where a former girlfriend was waiting in her car.

Madison retrieved a pistol from the car and returned to the apartment building. He walked up behind Officer Schulte, who was still in his vehicle and shot him twice in the head at point-blank range. Officer Schulte died later that day. He then shot twice at Cheryl before fleeing the scene. She survived her injuries. He later admitted to an acquaintance that he had “just killed a cop.”

Madison was arrested the following day. He was convicted and sentenced to death in November of 1985. He had his sentence twice overturned and each time he was re-sentenced to death.

Madison was previously scheduled to be executed in 2016, however, his execution was stayed due to concerns over his competency. According to his attorneys, Madison has suffered multiple strokes while in prison and is unable to understand why he is being executed. His lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States in an attempt to halt the execution, arguing once again that Vernon is mentally incompetent and does not remember the crime for which he is to be executed.

Please pray for peace and healing for the family of Julius Schulte. Please pray for strength for the family of Vernon Madison. Please pray that if Vernon is innocent, lacks the competency to be executed or should not be executed for any other reason, that evidence will be provided before his execution. Please pray that Vernon may come to find peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, if he has not already.